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<img src="https://www.420magazine.com/gallery/data/1073/user0018.gif" align=left>Nandor Tanczos has revealed the unique occupational hazards of being New Zealand's first Rastafarian MP having his dreadlocks pawed by admirers and being accosted by political junkies on the dance floor.
Mr Tanczos, who stands down today after nine years as a Green MP, told The Dominion Post he wore a turban to hold up his ankle- length dreadlocks for more than purely practical reasons.
"One of the things about having dreadlocks is I've had occasions where total strangers have come up and tried to stick their hands into my hair, you know, like, touch my hair.
"I mean, if I was to go up to a total stranger in public and start touching their body, they'd be horrified, but somehow people think because it's my hair, it's okay, so keeping it a bit out of sight and out of touch seems more appropriate."
Speaking ahead of today's valedictory speech, Mr Tanczos also revealed the round-the-clock workload of an MP whose constituency is the young and hip.
"Often, I go to a gig and I'm on the dance floor and people are coming up and going 'hey, bro, what's up at Parliament?' It's really cool, actually, because a whole lot of people would never go up to John Key or Helen Clark like that."
Mr Tanczos' departure brings down the curtain on one of the more colourful careers in New Zealand's political history. As well as the first Rastafarian MP, he was probably the first investigated for drug use after admitting he smoked cannabis as part of his faith.
He was also forced to back down after accusing MPs of hypocrisy for criticising his drug use while being "drunk in charge of a country".
Mr Tanczos will be replaced by Greens co-leader Russel Norman, who will be sworn in next week.
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Source
<img src="https://www.420magazine.com/gallery/data/1073/user0018.gif" align=left>Nandor Tanczos has revealed the unique occupational hazards of being New Zealand's first Rastafarian MP having his dreadlocks pawed by admirers and being accosted by political junkies on the dance floor.
Mr Tanczos, who stands down today after nine years as a Green MP, told The Dominion Post he wore a turban to hold up his ankle- length dreadlocks for more than purely practical reasons.
"One of the things about having dreadlocks is I've had occasions where total strangers have come up and tried to stick their hands into my hair, you know, like, touch my hair.
"I mean, if I was to go up to a total stranger in public and start touching their body, they'd be horrified, but somehow people think because it's my hair, it's okay, so keeping it a bit out of sight and out of touch seems more appropriate."
Speaking ahead of today's valedictory speech, Mr Tanczos also revealed the round-the-clock workload of an MP whose constituency is the young and hip.
"Often, I go to a gig and I'm on the dance floor and people are coming up and going 'hey, bro, what's up at Parliament?' It's really cool, actually, because a whole lot of people would never go up to John Key or Helen Clark like that."
Mr Tanczos' departure brings down the curtain on one of the more colourful careers in New Zealand's political history. As well as the first Rastafarian MP, he was probably the first investigated for drug use after admitting he smoked cannabis as part of his faith.
He was also forced to back down after accusing MPs of hypocrisy for criticising his drug use while being "drunk in charge of a country".
Mr Tanczos will be replaced by Greens co-leader Russel Norman, who will be sworn in next week.
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Source
